“There is not a day that goes by where I don’t think of Wizard of Oz.”

-David Lynch

Written and directed by Alexandre O’Philippe, Lynch/Oz is now available on The Criterion Collection. I am a huge fan of the many films of David Lynch, as is Philippe. This surreal documentary opens with a vast introduction that opens with a fancy chandelier, a green curtain, a retro-microphone, and a stage. Philippe himself opens the film presenting himself as a Lynch-type character. With Philippe having tons of invigorations from Lynch, he has stated that he had watched Lynch’s Lost Highway so many times in a cinema. Philippe’s love for Lynch is portrayed truly by going deep into the cinema world of what makes the films of Lynch so enticing…it is Lynch’s love for the 1939 sensation The Wizard of Oz. A vast and in-depth rollercoaster ride of ambience that made me love and appreciate the films of Lynch so much more.

The film goes into chapters. In the chapters many in the industry are interviewed on their takes and their cinematic vibes from the perspective of Lynch. They all link back to The Wizard of Oz. The film dives deep into talking about how The Wizard of Ozwas a film of patterns—a film that only played on special opportunities before the era of advanced technologies that are around today. The correlation of The Wizard of Oz plays deeply into the films of Lynch…more than audiences think they know.

The masterpiece of art being defined in Lynch/Oz links back to the films of Lynch and The Wizard of Oz. The element and spoken word “transcendence” is one that is to have in mind throughout the entirety of the documentary. That is the key to the factors of the atmospheric dimensions with Lynch and his love for The Wizard of Oz. With the interview of Amy Nicholson, she goes deeply into elaborating of how wind is one of the elements where Lynch’s talent is heroic. I have seen this in the works of Lynch. Especially in Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks:Fire walk with Me—the levels of depths and foreshadowing in the aspects of cinematics feel the senses of art movement connected to The Wizard of Oz. Nicholson says, “Never be content to just take things at surface level,” and from my experience with Lynch/Oz, I realized the works of mind of Lynch are a much more thorough and an artistic language that is one of much more enriching value. When there is a curtain in a film by Lynch, it is an indicator for an entrance to a new world.

With the talks and all, the heights of surrealism and inspiring value only find more appreciation in Lynch/Oz. The different worlds of good and evil are what speaks to Lynch. When it comes to the evil witch in The Wizard of Oz, the real-world and nightmare world discussion is the vastest analysis of the film. The film has a chapter called Membranes and with Lynch that clearly means thinking or shifting of minds is one essential element of getting use to. From the perspective of Rodney Ascher, the good time of Blue Velvet is in tune with the happy times of The Wizard of Oz, and so does the bad times—the echoes of harsh occurrences prove accuracy of making dreams a reality in Lynch/Oz. What I love about the value of Lynch/Oz is its persistence. It does not only have its audience think of Lynch’s art…it also makes us think of the many films that expand horizons among reality. The two terms of importance of movie elements are “stimulation theory” and “layers of reality.” First, this is a theory where its audience is curious about which world is real. Second are influences shifting between worlds. Lynch is one who uses multiple realities—through having The Wizard of Oz in his head all the time.

The concept of dinging another world is where Lynch/Oz dives of faithful honesty in the films of Lynch. Brains of reality and fantasy prove a point of empathy in Lynch/Oz. The film also links back to many classics as connections. Films ranging from E.T., Where the Wild Things Are, and After Hours are connected to the discussions in Lynch/Oz. Lynch remains the central focus, but the inspiration also reminds society that fairytales and happy endings in movies transport audiences to moments to cherish within their hearts. Just like how Lynch admires The Wizard of Oz. Lynch/Oz leaves a dynamic of appreciation that is moving and alive. Four out of four stars for Lynch/Oz.